All City buildings to be repainted, orders Sonko in push to attract foreign investment

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko

NAIROBI, KENYA: All buildings in Nairobi must now be repainted, Governor Mike Sonko has said.

The new directive is in place as from February 1 and is part of a beautification exercise that City Hall embarked on last week.

Sonko on Thursday observed that with Nairobi being a commercial hub, there was need to invest in transforming it consequently attracting more foreign investors.

"All building should be repainted. Owners have a choice either to maintain their original colours or changing them as they please," he stated.

He was quick to point out that a quick tour across the city exposed years of neglect on some buildings which were now in a dilapidated state.

Although he did not issue a deadline on when the buildings should have been repainted, he urged the business community and owners to comply with the directive.

“The East African capital is the hub of several multi-national companies and headquarters for several world organizations. By not maintaining the buildings, they deny Nairobi the beauty associated with it and the Moniker, ‘The Green City in the Sun’," emphasised the City Chief.

Last week, the City administration launched a beautification programme in a bid to match other world's best cities. It involves planting of flowers and trees along major roads and pavements in the City.

This was informed by a new global rating that placed Nairobi at the helm of the most dynamic city in Africa.